JPH05367Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention has a dot array head in which dot printing elements are arranged in rows, and by arranging LED arrays corresponding to the positions of each dot element group,
In a dot array recorder in which the LED of the dot element group belonging to the dot printing element instructed by the print signal lights up, a waveform with a scale mark attached between the LEDs at the position corresponding to the base line. This invention relates to a position display device.

[Problems that conventional technology and ideas try to solve]

This type of LED array makes it possible to recognize the print position in thermal array recorders, electrostatic printers, etc. that do not have a pen, depending on the lighting position. However, a conventional thermal head equipped with such a waveform position display device has a total length of 200 mm, for example.
as high density as possible, e.g. 1mm pitch.
LEDs were arranged. Therefore, the equipment is expensive, and although the fine pitch allows it to faithfully follow the waveform position, it is difficult to distinguish the lighting position when adjusting the baseline or sensitivity, so in reality, recording paper is run to determine the reference signal. While drawing it, it was adjusted to match the base line or scale line of the recording paper.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a waveform position display device for a dot array recorder that can easily perform at least baseline adjustment on the LED array surface, on the premise of reducing the number of LEDs.

[Means for solving problems]

In FIG. 1, the LED array 1 is equipped with an LED control drive circuit that drives the LEDs of the associated dot printing element group in response to a print input signal to the dot array head 2, as is well known. In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the invention is to adjust the distance between the associated LEDs on the array surface 1a corresponding to at least the base line position between both adjacent dot printing element groups, for example, the position between LEDs 13 _o and 14 ₁ in the same figure. Mark 3 ₃ for the baseline was attached to. When the print signal at the base line position is input, the presence of noise causes the print signal of at least the adjacent dot print elements of both groups to be supplied, but if such noise does not exist, forced noise superimposition means is applied. Add.

Furthermore, when adding a scale mark, the LEDs 11 ₁ to 11 _o and 12 ₁ to 12 corresponding to the dot printing element group at the dot position corresponding to a predetermined input signal amplitude are used.
_o , 13 ₁ to 13 _o , 14 ₁ ... mark 3 ₁ , 3 ₂ ,
3 ₃ ... was written in parallel. Then, one of these marks is used as a base line, and other marks are used as scales with this base line mark as a reference.

[Effect]

When a printing signal is input to the dot array head 2, the dot printing element 2a at the corresponding dot position is driven to print dots on the recording paper 2b.
The LED control drive circuit 4 attached to the LED array 1 is
At the same time, the print signal is taken in and the LEDs _{11 1} to 11 _o , 12 ₁ to 12 _o , 13 ₁ to the associated dot printing element group are read.
13 _o , 14 _{1 .} . . are driven. When the input side is adjusted to the base line or scale level, the print signals of the dot printing elements 2a on both sides of the marks 3 ₁ , 3 ₂ , 3 ₃ . LED 11 _o , 12 ₁ ; LED 12 _o , on both sides of the mark.
13 ₁ ; LED13 _o , 14 ₁ . . . lights up.

If two or more LEDs are arranged in parallel corresponding to two or more dot printing element groups between each mark, the waveform position midway between the marks is also indicated.

[Example of idea]

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 19 is a thermal head in which 1728 thermal dot printing elements 19b with a pitch of 0.125 mm are arranged in a thermal array recorder. 20 was juxtaposed to this thermal head
It is an LED array, with 80 LEDs arranged at a 2.54mm pitch. That is, the thermal dot printing element 1
One LED belongs to each dot printing element group 9b consisting of 20 dots, and 80 of the thermal dot printing elements 19b, that is, 4 dot printing element groups, correspond to a reference unit, for example, an amplitude of 1V. It's getting old. Therefore, marks 21, 22, 23, . . . are sequentially written on the LED array surface 20a corresponding to the positions of every 80 thermal dot printing elements. In addition, each mark has 4
LED21 ₁ ~ 21 ₄ , 22 ₁ ~ 22 ₄ , 23 ₁ ~ 23 ₄
...belongs to it.

25, each stage corresponds to LEDs _{21 1} to 21 ₄ in order,
...23 ₁ to 23 ₄ ... is a shift register for driving LEDs that supplies a "0" level output signal to the input signal. 26 is a RAM that stores the serial print signal supplied to the thermal head 19, and 6M is stored in synchronization with the input of the print signal.
It is written by the write address counter 27 which increments with a clock of 6 MHz, and when the address switching circuit 28 is switched after the writing is completed, it is read out by the read address counter 29 with a clock of 6 MHz. 30 is a frequency divider that counts down this clock to 1/20. 31 is a D-type flip-flop, which inputs RAM2 for each clock input.
Import dot data of 6, dot data “1”
When input, the output is sent to the shift register 25, and the AND gate 32 outputs 1/20
Blocks further clock input until cleared by the clock. When at least one piece of dot data "1" is read out from the RAM 26 for each dot printing element group, the shift register 25 transfers the data to D.
It is loaded with a "0" signal from the type flip-flop 31, advances at 1/20 clock, and sends a "0" signal to the associated LED. Each of these parts 25 to 32
This constitutes an LED control drive circuit.

The operation of the waveform position display device configured as described above is as follows.

If you want to use the mark 21 as a baseline, first, a serial print signal of a DC input signal according to the setting is supplied, and then the thermal head print element 1 is
The dot data is temporarily held in the corresponding stage of the shift register attached to the shift register 9b and simultaneously driven one line at a time.Therefore, as this signal input continues, a line 19c as shown in the figure is drawn on the recording paper 19a. . This print signal is also stored in the RAM 26 by the write address counter 27, and is stored in the read address counter 2 until the next write is performed.
9, the signal is read out repeatedly to avoid flickering. That is, the RAM 26 outputs dot data "1" once or repeatedly at the address position corresponding to the print signal. Each time, the output of the D-type flip-flop 31 sends a "0" signal to the shift register 25, causing one of the LEDs 21 ₁ to 24 _{1 .} . . to light up. When it is set exactly to mark 21,
Since the print signal is superimposed with noise generated by the circuit in the analog state, at least a serial print signal indicating the 20 x 4 dots of the thermal dot printing element 19b is input, and the 20 x 4 dots are input. The RAM 26 outputs data "1" at the address location. Each time, the output of the D-type flip-flop 31 sends a "0" signal to the shift register 25,
Turn on LED21 ₄ . At the same time, by inputting the printing signal of the 20×4+1 dot printing element 19b, the printing signal on the opposite side to the mark 21 is
The LED 22 ₁ also lights up, which causes the LEDs 21 ₄ and 22 ₁ on both sides of the mark 21 to light up, indicating that the input signal level corresponds to the baseline mark 21.

Similarly, when adjusting the sensitivity, a signal with a level increasing in 1V increments is input, so that the LEDs _{22 4} , 23 ₁ on both sides of the scale mark 22, the LEDs 23 ₄ , 24 ₁ ... on both sides of the mark 23 light up. adjust. When a waveform signal is input with the baseline and sensitivity adjusted in this manner, the waveform position is displayed in units of 20 dots on the LED of the thermal dot printing element 19b.

In addition, in the above example, the noise level is 1V x 1/80
If it is within ±1 dot, the sensitivity adjustment is performed within the maximum error of ±1 dot. At this time, by balancing the brightness on both sides of the mark, it can actually be kept well within ±1 dot. One LED between marks
may be present, or only base line marks may be provided according to the number of recording channels. Noise is always superimposed on analog circuits, but if the noise component disappears without being converted in level when converted to a serial print signal, it may be possible to prepare a separate digital noise generation circuit. That is, noise is forcibly superimposed on the serial print signal so that the serial print signal is alternately varied by one dot of printing element at a speed that does not cause flickering.

[Effect of idea]

As mentioned above, according to the present invention, there is no need to run the recording paper.
Baseline alignment of recording waveforms can be performed on the LED array surface while reducing the number of LEDs. on both sides of the baseline mark
Since it depends on whether the LED lights up or not, adjustment becomes easier and accuracy is improved. Reducing the number of LEDs causes little practical disadvantage for monitoring normal changing waveform positions. By attaching scale marks based on the baseline mark, it is possible to similarly easily and accurately adjust the sensitivity.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a waveform position display device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a waveform position display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2... Dot array head, 2a... Dot printing element, 3 ₁ , 3 ₂ , 3 ₃ , 21, 22, 23...
Mark, 11 ₁ ~ 11 _o , 12 ₁ ~ 12 _o , 13 ₁ ~ 1
3 _o , 14 ₁ , 21 ₁ ~ 21 ₄ , 22 ₁ ~ 22 ₄ , 23 ₁
~23 ₄ , 24 ₁ ... LED, 19 ... thermal dot array, 19b ... thermal dot printing element.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] 1. By arranging an LED array in parallel to a dot array head in which dot printing elements are arranged in a row, LEDs are emitted corresponding to the position of each dot printing element group into which the dot printing elements are divided. In a waveform position display device for a dot array recorder, which includes an LED control drive circuit that drives the LED of the dot printing element group in response to a printing signal, the dot printing element group corresponds to at least the position that should be the baseline
A waveform position display device characterized by having scale marks attached to the positions between the LEDs. 2. Utility model registration claim No. 2, characterized in that a scale mark is attached between the LEDs belonging to a group of printing elements at dot positions corresponding to a predetermined amplitude of an input signal with reference to a base line mark. The waveform position display device according to item 1.